ISO stands for Insurance Services Office a for profit
corporation that analyzes municipal fire protection efforts in communities
throughout the United States though its “Public Protection Classification”
(PPC) program.

In each community, ISO analyzes a variety of data using its
Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS). The Fire Suppression Rating Schedule is
a manual ISO uses in reviewing the fire-fighting capabilities of individual
communities. The schedule measures the
major elements of a community's fire suppression system and develops a
numerical grading called a Public Protection Classification. ISO then assigns a Public Protection
Classification rating from 1 to 10. Class 1 represents an exemplary public protection, and Class 10
indicates that an areas fire suppression program does not meet ISO's minimum
criteria.

How does the ISO rating affect residents?

Enhanced safety is the chief benefit of an improved ISO
rating. Statistical data shows a direct

relationship between better fire protection and a
reduction in injuries and property loss.

The ISO Public Protection Classification consists of
three major components:

• Fire Department- 50%

• Fire Communications: Receiving & Handling Fire
Alarms - 10%

• Municipal Water Supply - 40%

Fire
Department
Fifty percent of the overall grading is based on the number of stations,
apparatus, staffing and training. ISO
checks that the fire department tests its pumps regularly and inventories each
engine's equipment i.e. hoses, nozzles, breathing apparatus etc..

ISO also reviews the fire company records to determine:

Type and extent of training provided to
personnel

Number of people who participate in training

Firefighter response to emergencies

Maintenance and testing of fire department equipment

Fire
Communications Receiving & Handling Alarms Ten percent of the overall grading is based on how well the fire
department receives fire alarms and dispatches its fire-fighting resources. Field representatives evaluate the
communications center, looking at the number of operators at the center; the
telephone service, including the number of telephone lines coming into the
center; and the listing of emergency numbers in the telephone book. Field
representatives also look at the dispatch circuits and how the center notifies
firefighters about the location of the emergency.

Water supply

Forty percent of the grading is based on the community’s
water supply. This part of the survey focuses on whether the community has
sufficient water supply for fire suppression beyond daily maximum consumption.
ISO surveys all components of the water supply system, including pumps,
storage, and filtration. To determine the rate of flow the water mains provide,
we observe fire-flow tests at representative locations in the community.
Finally, we evaluate the distribution of fire hydrants.

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